Thread 28 Starmer - Weodmonath

[DuncinToffee]

The month of Agustus we call the weed month in our language, for these grow most in this month.”

Previous thread
https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/_chat/5371734-thread-27-starmer-hes-a-very-clever-cat?page=40&reply=146154992

Just seen a post on a fb community group, where I used to live, actually in one of the nicer suburbs of a city, and the poster is very, very angry the council made him take his St George flag down, and he’s buying a flagpole for it next, cue the extensive racism from other locals- more than usual sadly. The more rational folk kept pointing out you can’t put flags on lampposts and that was the reason, but few listened.
I’m becoming ashamed of my city (and county) but don’t know where I could go for it not to be like this (yes off SM but obviously there are now more and more displays of horrible in the real world - sigh).

latest concerned citizens

https://bsky.app/profile/fostersupportcouk.bsky.social/post/3lwviknkkjs23

As we walked through the car park to the beach we saw the coach and thought nothing of it. Apparently it was a group of Sikhs having a fun dayout at the seaside. They played on the beach + had a picnic. Some rascist woman filmed them, including all of the children and claimed on tik tok that Haven are housing asylum seekers. They were a polite friendly group who behaved impeccably and showed community spirit.
Racist scaremongering is completely out of hand and our government needs to stop pandering to the Faragists and call them out.

Ps - I wanted to mention St George’s own nationality and history but comments were turned off by then - probably best 🙈

About time history was taught as priority rather than maths! Do people not know what Sikhs have done for the U.K., and continue to do?
Mind a quite well to do guy told me Rishi was turning the country Muslim - when I mentioned that would be weird as he’s a Hindu I was told ‘sane difference’.
Probably will add RE to history essential learning.

Government borrowing less than expcted

Migration down ( Net migration for January to December 2024 was 431,000, down from 860,000 Immigration is lower again in 2025 than 2024)

But that number of asylum seekers in hotels up 8% in a year are the headlines

I used to think this. However sometimes it's history that drives things ...

Was it Oscar Wilde who commented of the situation in Ireland that the problem was Britain never remembers history and the Irish never forget it ?

I don’t understand how people are getting away with posting such stuff without any consequences the haven story & the other poor chap playing with his grandchildren surely they would be fairly easy to find.

You can't teach stupid. You can only do your best to insulate yourself from it and it's spread.

Even as I type, the metaphor of a bushfire seems apposite. What is the social equivalent of digging firebreaks ?

E2A: as always the answer is in the classics. Bread and circuses ?

The injunction is only an interim measure.

I rather think Badenoch, Farage and friends have got ahead of themselves and are encouraging councils to waste money before they know the outcome of the claim.

And what do they think is going to happen with these empty buildings? I doubt very much that they will be ran as hotels again.

I doubt much thought has been given to what happens next.

Because the police are busy cracking down on the Palestine Rabble, presumably.

I would be curious what other posters think of the suggestion that the current right wing hysteria does seem to be in some way connected to the sentiments driving some of the fiercest anti Palestine protesters ? Part of the justification for the flag fad is "well if you can fly someone elses flag ..." with direct reference to the Palestinian flag.

Or am I seeing shapes in shadows ?

Moving in the right direction

Backlog of asylum seekers waiting for a decision down 24% in a year

Well Reform councils were quick to remove rainbow and Ukraine flags as well

As regards the flags - I think it’s a semi regular summer news story (or non news story). Certainly not the first time I’ve seen it.

I highly doubt anyone will be out painting roundabouts or admiring lampposts on a drizzly October morning.

That said this cartoon caught my eye -

According to the Guardian before the Bell Inn was used to house asylum seekers it had only 1% 'commercial' occupancy and so the council were using it to house homeless families

So who knows what will happen to it now

They are all failing hotels no one wants to stay in. That's why the owners took the money in the first place. I had the misfortune to be sent on a training course in one a few months before the owners threw in the towel and changed its use. Absolute dump, smelt of piss, flood damage to the verandah. Once a thriving wedding destination but no investment in keeping it going as one.
Same with a country house hotel where we sometimes go on holiday. Reviews were awful, we gave their self catering cottages the swerve after reading them. Locals were, on the whole, sympathetic to asylum seekers being stuck in the middle of nowhere and not in the least surprised when a combination of boredom and trauma led to altercations. Again, an owner looking for a fast buck without understanding what sells to tourists in that part of the country. It's up for sale again now. Didn't help that it was a 'dry' hotel - nothing wrong with that but market forces mean it isn't going to be as successful as one that offers walkers and bikers the choice.

The one near us was bought by a company specifically for asylum use. It has been in the market for nearly 3 years.

The one near us was also a failing business hotel, old fashioned and a pain to get to.

The racist moaners can't seem to grasp that their local hotel owners are making a choice to take the money to house asylum seekers. No one is forcing them. The market is deciding, because locals aren't using the facilities.

Once this lovely weather is over all these idiots will soon give up. I can't see them hanging around outside hotels or painting kerbs once it starts chucking it down and blowing a gale.

Plus none of them were thriving venues usually very run down & in need of investment.
I dunno it feels at the moment as the racists are well & truly out of the closet being aided & abetted by the likes of delightful Reform led KCC posing in photographs with some abhorrent individuals.

We can add Fair Weather Racists to our list, along with Fair Weather Dog Walkers. Although I'd rather have an unruly Cockerpoo dance round me than the absolute roasters I've seen on social media lately. At least you can growl "AWAY!" and the former listens to you 🙄. I'm sure the racists will be happy tucked up in a be-muralled alehouse come Autumn.

The hotels have had regular, and increased from normal, income plus a promise of a full refurb afterwards - they’re making the choice to take this offer because they don’t have income otherwise. I believe some, very few, did want to go back to commercial use at peak times, but generally I think it’s been a business decision to maintain some cash flow in.
I too have had the misfortune to go into some of these hotels - most probably needed refurbing since 1980 - not sure what they’ll do for income next. I currently live very near 2, but didn’t realise for months, and at least one would be very much worse empty and derelict in this area tbh / or it my revert to its original business model of short afternoon lets - lovely Where are they going anyway that pleases these awful people?

To Rwanda. Or Labour just don't care enough, apparently.